The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-05-12
A NEGRO LYNCHED.
A VILE SCOUNDREL MEETS MER-
TIED PUNISHMENT.
A Brave and Daring Company Seize a
Train and Compel an Engineer to Aid
Them in Furnishing a Criminal.

Brave and Daring Company Seize 9
Train and Compel an Engineer to Aid
Them in Furnishing a Criminal.
Editorial Correspondence
WILSON, N. c., May 8, 1SS7.-News
interest and was the subject of all conver
sation. I have just had a long tall
with a gentleman from Rocky Mount who
gives me the particulars of the coolest
most deliberate. daring and we'll planned
expedition for lynching a scoundrel known
in the annals of the State.
On Saturday night, about l O'Clock, in
the town of Rocky Mount, as Mr.. Ambers
engineer of construction train on the
W. Il W. r. R, which had been stopped
at Rocky Mount for Sunday, was going
from the barber-shop to the hotel, he was
approached by eight or ten men Che doesn't
know which, and commanded to stand
still The leader told him they had use
for him. The engineer was marched tc
the depot and told to fire up the engine
and get it in readiness to run. He was
too frightened not to obey. When he
looked around he saw about forty men on
the fat cars. He was ordered to start
for Williamson. Eight men stood by
him in the engine and on the platform to
compel him to run When the train reach
ed what is called the of the TarbOrC
branch railroad, the engineer was ordered
to stop the train He did so and about a
hundred more men got on board. The
train thundered on in the midnight hour,
without head light or soand of whistle,
towards Williamston. Stationed two miles
apart on the whole line were men who
were on the outlook, and as the train
passed, they made certain signal and
cried out. $50 on All is WE'LL
Reaching Tarboro the masked and dis
guised force was increased by about 156
more men similarly disguised. The train
moved on and did not stop again until
within half /. mile of WILLIAMSON. Not
along the line Of the road except the cry
of the seutinels, every two miles, go on.
AlI is we'll"
Within half mile OF Williamson the
When he did so, without a word, all the
men followed the silent leader, except
about twenty five who were detailed to
guard the train. They marched in a
solemn and quiet procession to the jail
and knocked down the doors. 1t is said
that as soon as they We're in the Jail all
the prisoners, in mortal terror, pointed to
Ben Hart (col J and said: THAT is him.
That is the man you want"
He was recognized as the negro who
had attempted the outrage in Tarboro last
week an, was seized and marched noise
lesoly under cover OF pistols, back to the
train. The lynching party was quiet and
the negro was afraid to open his mouth or
make move. Darkness was over all and
a death like stiffness rcigned. The en-
gincer says that there never was so quiet
a body Of men Tarboro was reached.
The train passed on through the sleeping
town and was stopped one mile beyond it.
This was the very spot where the scoun-
drel, who now stood trembling as he con
assaulted young and beautiful girl and
attempted to despoil her. Here on the
scene Of his attempt at committing the
foulest crime in the catalogue of crimes,
he was hung from tree, and kept hang
ing even after life was extinct. 1t was a
fitting place for the wretch to die 1t was
fitting hour for him to 90 to the crim-
nails He'll, 1t was a fitting and just pun
ishment for the foul deed. And upon his
body, hanging from the limb of a tree,
was placard upon which was written
these fitting words:
''We hang this man, not in passion, but
calmly and deliberately, with a due sense
of the responsibility we assume. We take
executive power in this case and hang this
man in accordance with the unwritten law
of the land, because the written law pro-
vides no penalty adequate to the crime.
And, be it understood, We who have done
this act will repeat it under similar cir
cunnstances. PEOPLES COMMITTEE.
In Williamson the Sheriff heard the
noise at the jail and endeavored to obtain
posse to prevent the capture of the pris-
oner 1t was between one and two O'Clock
and it was impossible for him to get suff-
cient aid until the train bearing the aveng-
ing party, with the negro in charge, were
half way to TarborO. Those whom he
aroused from sleep and summoned had,
in the darkness, to hunt up guns, powder
and ammunition and, of course, this could
not be done in time to obey the summons
promptly.
After finishing the work in hand (who
will say that it was not the work of patri-
OTIS and true husbands, fathers and broth
ers.i some of the party did not again board
the train The others travelled until
Rocky Mount was reached. Then the en-
gineer was released with orders to 60 to
his room. The crowd dispersed, quietly
and orderly, and soon the bright sun came
out and smiled, as ii in token of approval
Of the events Of the night.
There exists no expressed difference of
opinion in this section about the hanging
Of the negro. 1t is endorsed on all sides.
1t is always, however, to be regretted when
men take the execution of the law in their
own hands We all know that there is no
safety for society at ali except in standing